I like pizza....
And so should you!
What canteen foods
are your favourite?

SELFIE
COMPETITION!!!!
Your chance to
win an article
about YOU!

#coolcatholic

Religion today but not as
you know it

WHAT? Things to do in
CANBERRA?
That’s right, there is!
MORE SURREAL THAN THE 3:20 BELL
Places you have to SEE to BELIEVE
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editor’s note
Ladies, I have a confession to make. I’ve been playing him a while now but it wasn’t until I
almost lost him that I realised how much I cared. After searching Canberra for almost two
hours, I found him waiting for me at the bus stop. When we were reunited, I reached out ,
embraced him and I promised myself to never leave him like that again.
My parents were definitely not impressed; forgetting my $200 violin on the school bus and
spending an entire afternoon tracking him down wasn’t exactly their idea of an ideal afternoon.
Aside from driving all the way to the Belconnen bus depot to retrieve my violin, Term 1 of
2014 has given me the opportunity to experience many new things. From being a new senior
to trying my first cup of tea, so far, it’s been a blast.
This year also meant a new editorial team. A massive welcome to Sarah Smyth, Chloe Aksenov,
Caitlin Davies, Holly Williams, Clementine Wraith, Jacinta Evans and Megan Braido as they
join the rest of us to bring you the latest student news.
Have a flick to page 12 to check out why smiling is scientifically proven to boost your mood. If
The Fault in Our Stars is your type of book, open up to page 23 and see what you think. Never
been to Croatia? Neither have I. If you’re looking for the next place to add to you bucket list,
turn to page 10. And ladies, that’s just the beginning.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt so far, it’s that new things can be scary and a little daunting.
However, new things also bring excitement and happiness if you’re just willing to give it a go.
So try that cup tea, read something you haven’t read before and put yourself out there.
Only, don’t forget your musical instrument on the bus. You might just end up in Belconnen.
Until next time girls,

Things to Do, Places to See
16 Your
student guide to all things Canberra

14
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School

TOLOVE

KNOW, HATE AND
your uniform
By Ellen Davies

We know you love to hate it, but it’s time to learn to LOVE your uniform.
Time for a blast from the past; and we’ve got it pretty good.
1. What’s life without a little risk? Aren’t we lucky that the good old “dress
below the knee length” rule is there to break?
2. Who else loves rocking the
smokin’ hot junior uniform? Hot
takes an entirely different meaning
when referring to the ’91 chorale
uniforms. You thought hiding
sweaties was hard today…
3. Yes the winter skirt is awfully hot
when the sun is out but who doesn’t
enjoy a bit of melting? Channel your
inner Olaf and melt like a snowman. If
you’re drenched in your own sweat you
may as well do it in true Disney style.

4. Variety is the spice of life.
Black or grey tights? Why don’t we
have both! (for future reference,
wear one of the other, not both.
That’s a class A train wreck)
5. Two things that are hot
right now: Hats and sun safety.
You can be sun safe and look
super cute doing it.

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6. You do it, I do it, even when it’s not
intentional. Sneaking through the crowd
to get on the bus just a little bit earlier has
been a part of this College’s culture for
yonks. And lucky us, we have our trusty
backpacks too. It seems pulling them
through has become an art form. We all
have a favourite way to twist and jump
through the crowd. Now imagine pulling
through with a square carry bag?

7. Senior uniform vs. Junior uniform.
Perfect, now the Eddie’s boys know who
to target on Muck Up Day! (Not perfect for
juniors, sorry guys. For some help, I suggest
making some allies as described in number 8.
Good luck out there, you’ll need it)
8. Ok so picture this: The air is hot, your hair is up in
that smokin’ hot PE cap that you totally remembered
to bring today and certainly did not borrow from
the lost property box because you were already on
2 strikes and Mrs Geerdink had already threatened
you with a lunch time detention. You’re running heart
health past Eddie’s in the glory of the tea towel shorts.

oth Laos and
Thailand have
historically been
known as the
‘Land of a Million
Elephants’.

Clouds settle in Thailand

Photographs courtesy of
Catalina Ringrose-Voase

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During November and December 2013,
the St Clare’s World Challenge Expedition
travelled to Thailand and Laos where they
discovered a diverse culture that was very
different to the idyllic tourist haven usually
depicted. More so, we were exposed to a
world of social upheavals.
Politically, Thailand is a very complex
country, constantly in turmoil. The first
rule we were taught was: never insult
the king. The king of Thailand still has
complete power over his subjects, although
Thailand theoretically is a democracy
with a Prime Minister. Political activists
in Thailand consist of 2 main groups; the
revolutionaries itching for change which
does not include the king or the military
(typical Communists and Anarchists), or
complete dedicated patriots who do not
believe in the military or government.
Alternatively, there is a third party of
royalists who support the king and
government.
Last year there was substantial media
discussion and debate about Thailand’s
politics after the fatal shooting of a man
at Democracy Square. Fun fact: Our World
Challenge group was in Bangkok when
this happened, staying less than 200
metres away from Democracy Square.
Being amongst the protesting was almost
completely, safe. Most people found it
concerning walking through this square
every morning (before and after the
shooting). Personally, I found it exhilarating.
I was part of something; I was not exactly
sure what, but it something exciting.

By Molly Turnbull

Arguably Laos is politically more stable
in terms of having an agreed notion of
communism. Images of Che Guevara were
plastered everywhere, on motorcycles,
taxis, and park walls. However, most
members of the group didn’t share my
views on how exciting it was to be in a
communist country.
In spite of spending more than half our
time in rainforest, jungle and rural areas,
the wildlife seen by the group was minimal.
Perhaps, one of the most beautiful and
raw moments of the trip was seeing
elephants whilst whitewater rafting in the
Mekong River. As we travelled by truck,
elephants reached out their trunks to us
and came close enough to touch. But,
the most inspiring moment came when
we went whitewater rafting. We had just
experienced and survived, one of the
challenging and powerful rapids, where
we almost lost our guide. We were slowly
drifting around the river bend, when we
encountered elephants playing and bathing
in the river. In addition, the elephants, we
saw tiny tree snakes curled into little nooks
and crannies, squirrels, and a monkey
cruelly kept in a cage outside a diplomatic
house. This made the uncomfortable and
cruel ape and monkey ads on TV very
real, enabling us to understanding better
the real threat of extinction of so many
beautiful species.
In a village we visited in the Nam Bak
District of Central Laos, we saw how
education was a precious gift to some.
Some kids we played with were able to
attend school and others not. The most

interesting example were two brothers called Soulepon
and Louie. These two brothers, aged about 8 and 10, lived
on the outskirts of the village. The local primary school
in the area is the only one to offer English as a second
language. However, the cost to send kids to extremely
expensive. There is a uniform, stationery and book fee
in addition to the tuition fee. Due to financial restraints,
Soulepon’s and Louie’s family could only afford to send
one child to school, and one of these boys was most likely
needed at home for other duties. It later became clearer
that these brothers were actually attending school but
swapping clothes at lunch time, and spending half the day
at school and the other half at home.
In the village we also witnessed how women are still
regarded as second class citizens and are treated with
less respect than men. At the building project we were
involved in, the group was unable to participate in
some of the construction work due to men who were
running the construction site. Some of the statements
included ‘women can’t do anything’, and ‘let me do that,
women cannot do a good job’. We were then reduced
to shovelling dirt for the entire community project.
The treatment of women in South-East Asian society is
nothing to compare to that of women in Middle Eastern
countries, such as Afghanistan. This raised the issue of the
treatment of women. As girls and women, we should not
only look at life in Laos and think how lucky we are, but
we should also think about how we can change this and
realise that women are not treated with equality in most
countries including our own.

In a general holiday sense, the group enjoyed the
freedom given by World Challenge to plan our own
accommodation, food, transport and the itinerary. We
also enjoyed the teacher and student relationships
that were built, and the trek. Even though it was very
physically challenging and demanding the end result was
immensely rewarding. Accompanying teacher, Sepi Hawke
commented on the view as ‘beautiful’, and ‘breathtaking’.
However, the most rewarding part of the trip was the
interaction with the kids in the village. Most of the kids
didn’t have much but were willing to give us everything.
World Challenge provides an opportunity for students to
truly experience independence, group unity, and witness
the tragic reality of poverty, social inequalities and
political unrest within developing countries around the
world.
At this point in time, I am reminded of the quote from the
Secret Life of Walter Mitty:
‘To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see
behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel.
That is the purpose of life’.
We all should dare to be adventurous and inspire change
within our own and others’ lives, conquering social
inequalities around the world.

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School

Top 5 Canteen Foods

By Clementine Wraith

Whether you get to school without eating breakfast, run out of the house without packing
lunch or just have a few dollars left over from the weekend, the canteen is always there to
help. Out of the multitude of delicious foods they sell, many are hailed as, “like, the best
thing ever,” by students. But is there a general consensus as to which food is the favourite?
This list is the five best foods at our canteen, as voted by fellow students.

5.

Wedges

3.

Donuts

4.

I get it. The wedges were better at the old canteen.
You’ve all been very vocal about that. But this doesn’t
change the fact that the new wedges are delicious.
While they have been downsized in recent years,
they’re still definitely worth the money.

Cupcakes

These things rock. The vanilla-flavoured
chocolate-chip cupcakes manage to make
chocolate even better. If you’re lucky,
the top might even be a little bit crispy
and you all seemed to love them. I’m
definitely on team cupcake for the muffin
versus cupcake debate, so these are
perfect. What’s even better, they’re not
going to cost you an arm and a leg, which
is great for people without jobs or spend
their time hanging out at Woden.

So, on a beautiful Monday while I was on a free, I stopped by the canteen to see if there was any hot
food left. Another senior was already at the window, preordering two donuts so she wouldn’t miss
out on Friday. That’s right; ordering a whole 5 days in advance. If that doesn’t stand testament to how
good these things are, I don’t know what does. Friday at the canteen has officially been dubbed Donut
Fridays. Get in quick, because those donuts sell faster than any other food on a Friday.

2.

Pizza

It was love at first sight. What could be more perfect than pizza? With the rich
tomato sauce, the stringy cheese… Alright, I might be getting carried away,
but with perfectly good reason, right? There’s something about our canteen’s
pizza that makes it different from Domino’s. Maybe it’s a bit of pixie dust? Or
perhaps it’s just the fact that we can eat pizza at school? If that doesn’t make
you realise how far we’ve come from our cavemen ancestors, I don’t know
what does.

1.

Hashbrowns

With the perfect crunch to warm you up on a cold winter morning,
these lovelies have come in at number 1. with good reason, of course.
They’re cheap, they’re filling, and they’re vegetables (and we all
know how delicious vegetables are). Really, we should all be grateful
for how many ways we can eat potatoes with these probably being
the best. So to the canteen ladies we say thank you so, so much for
making these delicious golden perfections.

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A Mass Following

By Katelyn Tsipiras and Megan Braido

The Catholic Church is steeped in historic tradition, having survived through war, famine, plague and even treachery.
But nothing could prepare them for Generation & Z. Today’s youth are leaving the Church because, well ....we’re
bored. As soon as the priest pulls out ‘transubstantiation’ or ‘ecumenical’, the majority of the congregation under the
age of 18 are either sleeping or Snap Chatting. The Church needs embrace new technologies. And what better place
to put on a new face for the new age than social media? So why wait in a line, when you can talk to a priest online?
No need to brag, post an #ashtag! (#coolcatholic) And when you can’t cope, follow the Pope! (on Twitter of course…).
Here, we explore the new ways the Church is reaching out all Catholics, old and young.

#ashtag

Ask a Priest… Online!

“Ashtag, Quick! Jump in the selfie!”
On these instructions, the whole of St
Clare’s posed for the camera for the
#ashtag.

xt3.com, an online platform for
Catholics, allows people to share and
connect internationally. It is a onestop-shop for everything Catholic, with
calendars, news, information, even a
diocese locator. But xt3.com certainly is
not alone in the Catholic info genre. The
official Vatican website even has its own
country domain extension. But what’s
really interesting about these sites isn’t
the PDF copy of the Catechism, but
the option to talk to a priest online.
There is even a Facebook group, ‘Ask
a Catholic Priest’ set up specifically
for this purpose. This abundance
of online forums and information
sites is definitely a convenient, albeit
unconventional, way to seek spiritual
wisdom.

Social Media today has changed the
way Christians proclaim the Gospel.
Twitter, a social media website, is best
known for tweeting short messages
and finding an excuse to use a #.
Started in 2009, the #ashtag was
met with little success but became
a global sensation in 2014 with the
slight modification of ‘that selfie’.
(#ellenisawesome) This year on Ash
Wednesday, many Christians took
a selfie and uploaded it to Twitter
with the hashtag Ashtag (#Ashtag)
or #AshWednesday. This is a modern
twist on Christian proclamation and
piety, encouraging people to learn
more about their faith and spirituality.

Papal Twitter
The reign of Katy Perry and Justin
Bieber on the Twitter throne may soon
be contested by an evangelical army
led by the Pontifex himself.
Initiated by Pope Benedict XVI in
2012, @pontifex has become a global
sensation. The new Pope Francis has
been quick to assert his predecessor’s
Twitter presence - within a year he has
quadrupled his number of followers
to 12 million. Pope Francis shares the
‘12 million Followers’ trophy with
Emma Watson and Paris Hilton, leaving
behind Leonardo DiCaprio, will.i.am
and Carly Rae Jepsen in his holy dust.
He posts regularly in six languages,
including Latin, and his posts are read
by an estimated 60 million. TBTW; The
name ‘Pontifex’ is Latin for ‘Highest
Priest’.

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Lifestyle

5 Places You Wished
You’d Heard of Sooner

Searching for your next holiday destination? Nothing seems to quite
catch your eye? Well look no further, because here are five destinations
that should definitely be on your bucket list.

Smart Traveller Status:
What are you waiting for?
Keep your wits about you
Maybe not today.....

By Caitlyn Baljak
While still technically a part of Asia, Yemen is a
small, Arabic nation off the North Eastern tip of
Africa. Yemen is rich in heritage and culture as
well as being home to some unique flora. While
the Australian government has issued a ‘do not
travel’ status due to the highly volatile political
climate and risk of terror attacks, Yemen is home
to some strikingly beautiful sights.
So, if you do ever decide to brave the dangers and
check things out, Socotra Island (approximately
380km off the south-east coast) is a must see.
An estimated one third of the plant life found
on Socotra can’t be found anywhere else on the
planet. Its isolation has resulted in evolutionary
oddities such as the dragon’s blood tree (these
appear almost upside down), the cucumber tree
(guess what shape?) and an abundance of rare
fish that reside in the surrounding coral reefs. Did
I mention that it’s surrounded by pristine white
sand and the turquoise Indian Ocean?

Made up of 1246 islan
ds, Croatia
is famous for its beau
tiful,
Mediterranean coastli
ne. Heritage
listed cities, relaxing
on the beach and
the wonderful people,
(#myancestry)
a holiday to this Euro
pean beauty will
make for an exciting
and diverse time.
My recommended de
stination is about
10km from the Bosn
ia-Herzegovina
boarder in the Plitvice
Lakes National
Park. The collection of
sixteen azure
lakes see over a milli
on visitors per
year and are conside
red to make up
some of the top five
most beautiful
waterfalls in the world
.

The Principality of Sealand is a ‘country’
located in the middle of the English
Channel. Originally used by the British
as a sea fort to shoot down German
missiles, Sealand has a rich history.
Ok, let’s be honest, it’s essentially a
concrete slab in the middle of the ocean,
inhabited by the ‘royal family’ (a bunch
of crazies). Physically, there is nothing
appealing about this dingy piece of
helipad, however the reason I’ve pick
this destination is for one thing; for
the right price, you can become a lady,
countess, baroness or knight; that’s
right, from now on, people will have to
call you ‘sir’.

A brilliantly colourful country situated in
South-East Asia, Burma is brimming with
wonderful attractions. It experiences
some pretty crazy weather during
cyclone season (April to October), so
be prepared for extreme flooding if you
plan on going then.
Bagan (where these temples are located)
is an ancient city that once contained
10,000 Buddhist temples, 2,200 of which
still remain today. The best way to see
these magnificent structures is from
a beautiful hot air balloon, however,
if heights aren’t your thing, there are
plenty of ground-based tours to run
around on.

and a
Bolivia is rich with multiculturalism
uages.
massive list of official indigenous lang
th
A prime example of a soccer crazy Sou
and
ant
vibr
a
American nation, Bolivia has
accommodating atmosphere.
square
Salar de Uyuni stretches for 10,582
salt flat.
est
larg
ld’s
wor
kilometres and is the
as
far
as
hing
Because there is literally not
r
Sala
at
s
the eye can see, whenever it rain
vab
elie le
de Uyuni, the sky is reflected in unb
with
detail. Some people get really creative
hard
it’s
;
lake
salt
their photo-taking at the
n
to believe that Photoshop hasn’t bee
t is
wha
in
used. What pose would you strike
essentially the world’s largest mirror?

Bolivia
Population: 10.4 million
Continent: South America
Official Language: Spanish
Smart Traveller status:
Top Attraction:
Salar de Uyuni (also known
as the world’s largest salt flat)

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Lifestyle

A Smile is a Curve

that sets everything straight

It is widely believed that
people smile because they are
happy, but, in fact, it might be
the other way around.
The idea that facial
expressions are not just
a visible sign of emotion
but actually contribute to
the feeling itself, was first
suggested by Charles Darwin.
This is now thought to be
true! Studies have shown
that genuinely smiling can
put you in a happier mood
because when you smile,
certain muscles relax and
tighten which raises or lowers
the temperature of blood
running to the brain. These
temperature changes affect
the area of the brain that
controls emotion and make
you feel happier!
But smiling can help you in
all aspects of your life! A
study was done on a group
of women for 30 years
and showed that women
who displayed genuinely
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By Catherine Langron

happy smiles in their college
yearbook photo went on to
have happier marriages and
greater wellbeing than those
who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Smiling over the
long term can benefit your
health, social and work life.
You can communicate that
you are confident, outgoing,
approachable, trustworthy
and worth getting to know.
Everyone can smile; scientists
believe that babies are born
with the ability to smile, since
even blind babies can smile.
So, with so many benefits to
smiling, why not try? Even
when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like it, try
a smile and you may find that
a fake smile becomes genuine!
Smile with your eyes, and
smile and laugh regularly so
that you become comfortable
and begin to do it without
thinking. Smiling is such a
simple way to brighten your
day, and because smiles are
contagious, it might brighten
someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day too!

Did you know that smiling:
Boosts the production of endorphins (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;feel
goodâ&#x20AC;? brain chemicals) which helps relieve
stress! Stress narrows our attention but smiling
counteracts this helping with multitasking.
Those who smile while attempting stressful
tasks also have a lower heart rate and a less
stressed response than those who keep their
natural expressions. As smiling reduces stress,
this also helps lessen the chance of having
stress related health problems such as; type 2
diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Helps you live longer! Studies
have shown that frequent
smilers are thought to live an
average of 79.9 years, while
occasional smilers live an
average of 75 years and non
smilers, 72.9 years

Makes you more
attractive. Smiling
makes you more
attractive to others
and brings out your
inner beauty!

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Lifestyle

TOP 10

MOST SURREAL PLACES
IN THE WORLD by Caitlin Davies

Life’s too short to take things for granted. I bet most people haven’t even thought about exploring our wonderful
and surreal planet. Well you must; our planet has so many beautiful places carved out by nature, yet we are slowly
destroying them. You probably haven’t really thought seriously about the damage we have done to this world and there
is nothing we can do to stop the Earth from dying, only slow it down. So get out there and see our beautiful world while
you still can. There are more than ten places worth seeing but this should give you a good starting point to see the
world as it was intended. You might not believe your eyes but I assure you, they are all really places.

10

The Glow Worms, Waitomo Caves,
New Zealand

9

Derweze,

Turkmenistan

Known as the
‘Door Way to Hell’
but is actually a
natural cave full of
natural gas.

Thousands of tiny creatures illuminate this cave, when it is dark.
It is a truly breathtaking sight.

8

Jiuzhaigou Valley,
China

The national park is famous for its lakes and waterfalls.

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7

Glen Brittle,
Scotland

This a large valley in the Isle of
Skye, it is famous for its streams
and waterfalls called fairy pools.

6

5

Lake Retba,
Senegal

This lake is literally
pink!! It has the same
effect as the Red Sea,
which allows people
to float.

4

Pamukkale,
Turkey

Sossusvlei,
Namibia

Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan surrounded by high red
dunes, located in the southern part of the Namib Desert.

3

Mount Roraima,
South America

Hot springs in the midst of ice and snow.

This mountain is so high up that clouds are created around it,
giving the impression the it is floating in the clouds.

2

1

Ice Cave in Skaftafell,
Iceland

There is lack of air in these caves, which
means the glaciers absorb all visible light.

Fly Geyser,
Nevada

Okay, I lied this place is man-made but it still is pretty surreal!
This was created when drilling of a well.

As Shakespeare says: ““life is too short, so live your life to the fullest…every second of your life just
treasure it…” Do the expected and the unexpected, don’t just sit around waiting for the world to come
15
to you, you have to go and get it.
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Lifestyle

THINGS TO SEE, PLACES TO GO

By Sarah Smyth

Along with being announced as Australia’s most liveable city, Canberra has many fun and exciting events
coming up in 2014. There is something for everyone from music to fashion and everything in between. Go out
with friends, enjoy something you’ve never done before and relish some of Canberra’s best events.

Groovin the Moo
GTM is an all-ages (however, recommended for 16 years and over)
music festival with 23 acts including “The Presets”, “The Naked and
Famous” and “Dizzee Rascal”.
When: Sunday 27 April, 11:00am to 10:30pm
Where: The Meadows, University of Canberra
Price: $99.90 (+ Booking Fee)
Website: http://2014.gtm.net.au/cbr-lineup.html

FASHFEST
FASHFEST is Canberra’s biggest annual fashion event showcasing the
works of 24 designers who all have their own unique connection to
Canberra. FASHFEST features local models, hair stylists, makeup artists
and music from Canberran artists and DJs.
When: Wednesday 30 April until Saturday 3 May, 8:30pm start
Where: Canberra Airport
Price: Tickets starting at $67.95
Website: http://fashfest.com.au

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Handmade Markets
The Handmade Markets features a variety of stalls, from stunning
jewellery to exquisite food and everything in between. Soak in all the
creativity and be inspired to venture into your own DIY activities.
When: 7&8 June, 4&5 October, 6&7 December, 10:00am to 4:00pm
Where: National Convention Centre
Price: Free!
Website: http://www.handmadecanberra.com.au/market/visit-themarket.html

Skate in the City
Enjoy Canberra’s only outdoor ice rink. Whether you’ve skated before
or not, there’s something for everyone. Go to a night session and
enjoy skating to dance music and synchronised lights.
When: Friday 20 June until Sunday 27 July
Where: Garema Place, Canberra City
Price: $17
Website: http://www.inthecitycanberra.com.au

Floriade Nightfest
Experience Floriade as you never have before. Watch circus performers,
eat Ben & Jerry’s and enjoy an illuminated Floriade.
When: Wednesday 25 September until Sunday 29 September
Where: Commonwealth Park
Price: Pricing will be announced closer to the date
Website: http://www.floriadeaustralia.com/media/nightfest/

Tropfest
The world’s largest short film festival comes to Canberra! Watch
the 16 finalist short film entries and enjoy a variety of food and live
entertainment.
When: Sunday 8 December
Where: Exhibition Park
Price: Free!
Website: http://www.tropfestcanberra.com.au

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Sports

Where are they now?

By Chloe Aksenov

Seen her around? Perhaps playing basketball?
Since her school days at St Clare’s, Sarah Mcappion now plays for
the Canberra Capitals.

Sarah in action

The Canberra Capitals and Sarah (third from right)

Highlights while attending St.Clares?

What did you do once you graduated school?

Definitely the swimming carnivals, the athletics
carnivals, dressing up with the houses and the
friendships that carry on throughout life. I’m
basically with all my Alinda girls still, which is
quite nice.

I accepted a scholarship to Troy University in the
US, played basketball over there for five years,
then finished my uni Degree in Pro-Medicine.
Afterwards, I backpacked around Europe which
are some of my best experiences. I travelled
all over the States and now I’m back here in
Canberra, playing for the Caps.

Sports you played while attending St.Clares?
Well, I did athletics, cross-country, swimming,
touch football, basketball, and hockey. Now I just
play basketball.
What are some of the themes you had to dress
up as for the carnivals?
Actually, one of my favourite things was seeing
four males cross-dress! Haha. I remember
dressing up at St.Clares day as Minnie mouse with
my friends.
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What are some of the highlights in your current
career?
I guess that would mainly be the start of my
professional career in basketball. So, highlights
would include finishing my first rookie season and
getting to play [for the Canberra Capitals].

The story after high school:
Extraordinary ex-students doing extraordinary things

She’s smart, gorgeous and still here!
In between teaching students science and PE, Megan Clowry is a
prominent and skilled member of the Canberra Darters.

How did you get into Netball?
Well my mum played, so did my sister and auntie
so I really wanted to get into the sport and try it
out. I ended up playing throughout primary school
called Saints Netball Club. I started playing for
the Belconen Netball Association as all my friends
were there. I represented ACT in the under 12s
when I was in year 6 then represented then again
in the Under 17s team for the ACT. I was able to
play in that for two years then I went to Nationals
and got to travel around Australia that which was
pretty cool. In 2010 I moved onto my Professional
Career with the Canberra Darters team and I’ve
played in the team for four years since.
Have you had any sporting injuries?
I’ve injured both my ankle quite a few times.
How would you describe St.Clares in three words?
Canberra Darters

Spirited Community would be one. Enjoyable
learning would be another. There just so many
activities and sports here. Friendships too, the
ones made at St.Clares.
What did you do once you graduated?
I went on to university and studied teaching and
I became a science teacher while still playing
netball.

Two in one: how many St Clare’s
teachers can you see?

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Sports

Just Keep Swimming
By Katelyn Tsipiras and Jacinta Evans
It was a merry morning when 1200 young women made their way down to Tuggeranong Pool for the prestigious
St Clareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swimming Carnival of 2014. We dived, swam and flailed through the water for the ultimate prize and the
final result came totally unexpected â&#x20AC;&#x201C; another victory for Alinda and Japara!
It does leave one to wonder whether it is merely coincidental that the starter was a member of Alinda? And the
allocater of points, a member of Japara? One thing is undoubtedly true; we have spirit! Check out some cool
photos and memorable quotes from the day.

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"I am proud! There's
lots of spirit and people
getting into it with a fun
competitiveness"
- Jess, Alinda, Sports
Captain

“We have all the spirit
and the world’s greatest
year co-ordinator…”
- Mrs Kinnane, Wirana

"It's too long with no
breaks. And it's all
about winning … it's
too much!" - Georgia,
Cassie, Lauren and
Maddie, Ulamina and
Wirana

"I've seen a lot of
swimming carnivals
in my time, but I have
never seen anything
like this" - Mrs Bandle,
'neutral'

Yes, I couldn’t call myself proud St Clare’s girl without putting the
school song on its rightful place at the top of this list. Nothing
quite captures the school spirit as every girl rising to her shaking,
pins-and-needles ridden feet to belt out the Hymn to St Clare. And
nothing ruins it as much as people clapping a 4th time. Seriously
girls, what makes you think that an extra clap is necessary? It’s not,
3 claps are perfectly sufficient to express your love for Jesus. 4 claps
is just overkill, and makes everyone awkward. Stop it. 10/10

Has a captain ever left such a profound effect upon the school
community as Gemma Armarego’s actions to Yes Lord? The short
answer is no, the long answer is hell no. This song is so boppy that
if it wasn’t for the fact that about I can’t feel two thirds of my body
after roughly 20 minutes of sitting in the gym, I would stand up in
the middle of mass and profess my love of God through the power
of dance. So I suppose we should all be grateful about the fact we
don’t get chairs at mass. That would be very scary. 9.5/10

Number 3 – Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Number 4 –Shout to the Lord

This song is so utterly majestic it could be its own 2-hour musical
extravaganza. Don’t even lie, you know that when you think glorious
songs, your first thought is that ‘naaaa saven ya baba dis sitty ma’
thing from the Lion King, closely followed by the full-throated
magnificence of Shout to the Lord. Sure, you can’t dance to it, but
you can sure as hell soar with the eagles and run with the wolves. 10
bucks says the mountains bow down and the seas roar at the sound
of this chill as chorus. Have to say though, actually shouting to the
Lord seems like a bad life decision. The dude upstairs can smite you
in like a second so I’d probably recommend a calm yet assertive tone
instead. 8/10

I have never been so conflicted as I was trying to decide whether
Jesus, Lover of My Soul deserved number 3 or 2 on this list. Thankfully
I prayed for guidance and ultimately decided that though Jesus, Lover
of my Soul thoroughly deserves it’s position in my ‘most played’
playlist, the lack of spunky hand actions mean it simply cannot take
2nd place. That said, J, LOMS has to be my personal favourite on this
list, largely due to the fact that you can replace literally every lyric with
the word ‘watermelon’ and still keep in perfect time with the music
(not that I’m promoting such debauchery). Future candidate for music
Friday? Yes please. 9/10

Honourable Mention - The Rainbow Song

If I were to start a school petition it would probably be to introduce
a senior nap-time, but if I were to start two school petitions, one
would totes be to start using this song at mass. It was quite literally
the best thing about primary school, and to this day the only reason
I can colour in a rainbow correctly. Honestly though the Rainbow
Song is a musical masterpiece. “Blue is for the sky and the sea, gifts
from God to you and me” is lyrical genius and I will fight anyone
who says otherwise. But that said, what’s with that “Underneath
God’s beautiful rainbow” bit that gets inexplicably lower every time
you sing it until eventually you sound like a very pious Andre the
Giant on testosterone pills? 7.5/10

Sarcastically yours, Annie Marsh

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“

“

Far from overrated, author John Green is so
super cool. This guy knows how to put his words
together. Not only does he have an amazing
contemporary voice but he has an adorable family
and is friends with Obama. He runs two YouTube
channels with his brother, NerdFighters (with the
slogan DFTBA – Don’t Forget to Be Awesome) and
Crash Course which will honestly help you study
for History, Science or English. It’s amazing.

“
“

Why every one of you should
read ‘The Fault in Our Stars’…
NOW.

By Holly Williams

The entire book is filled with heart warmers like these…
•“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.”
•“I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend.”
•“I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, and then all at once.”
•“You gave me forever within the numbered days”
•“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”
Honestly, this book is so beautifully sad, and this is
coming from someone who never cries (not even in
Titanic). But TFIOS got me and I believe that means
it’s really something special and I want all of you to
experience that feeling. There is so much wit, love
and sadness that it is sometimes hard to get all your
emotions together. But it’s an amazing thing and you
will come away feeling better for having read it. If
you’ve never experienced heartbreak, this will be
your first, and if you have then this will also be your
first, trust me.

I don’t know about you but I have to read a book before I see the movie.
Not to compare what was or wasn’t included, but so I can have a richer
understanding of the plot and characters. Also it gives you that bragging
right of, “that was different in the book” or “well I read it before it came
out, so clearly I love it more”. The movie is set to release on June 5th, but
on April 10th you can get familiar with the two main characters as they will
be appearing in Divergent as brother and sister (Tris and Caleb) which is
slightly awkward. Trust me, you want to jump on this bandwagon before
June – it’s going to be a good one.

r
a
d
a
R
ie
v
o
M
2014
How to Train Your Dragon: 2
Due Out: 19th June
About: Hiccup and Toothless are
back (am I the only one who is super
excited?) It’s been 5 years since
dragons and Vikings were united and
things are getting pretty chilled which
means it’s time for some excitement.
On the discovery of a secret ice cave
and the mysterious ‘Dragon Rider’,
Hiccup and Toothless are once again
at the centre of a battle to protect the
peace and proving men and dragons
can work together.
Voices: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera,
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill
and Cate Blanchett (to name just a
few of the amazing voices!)
Why You Should See It: Because the
first one was amazing and I don’t
know how you could disagree. If you
haven’t seen it, stop what you’re
doing and watch it.

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Arts and Entertainment
The Maze Runner
Due Out: 18th September
About: Set in a post apocalyptic world, a
young boy wakes up to find his memory has
been erased. He has been deposited in maze
where he will have to work with other’s who
are also trapped, to find a way out and what
is going on.
Cast: Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf), Will Poulter
(Narnia), Thomas Sangster (Nanny McPhee)
and Kaya Scodelario (Skins)
Why You Should See It: Good book, good
cast, good story.

The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay – Part 1
Due Out: 20th November
About: While it is unknown where they
will be splitting the book, it is clear that
this movie will focus on Katniss finding
herself in District 13 after she quite literally
shattered the Games. This first part will
definitely set up the rebellion of the
districts with Katniss at the centre fighting
for Peeta and a better world.
Cast: JLaw, JLaw, JLaw oh and a little of
Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson
Why You Should See It: You should all
definitely already be on this bandwagon. If
you’re not then, it’s time (probably keep it
on the down low if you haven’t seen/read
it). Oh man, it’s going to be intense!
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AUSSIE ISSUES
As a foreigner to this weird and wacky country there
are a couple of things that I still don’t quite get...
For instance, the fact that you willingly subject
yourselves to the torture of eating Vegemite. It was
forced upon me one lunch time and I still haven’t quite
recovered!

Lets discuss thongs now.... I mean really.
Call them flip flops, slappies, slide-ons,
jandals yes! But thongs, no, just no!
DROP BEARS!! You honestly had
me convinced that they were real!
Every time I went for a walk, I
was waiting for one to fall out of a tree. Well, nobody
thought to end the joke and so it was only the
other day that I discovered the truth. Drop
bears are jokes you feed to all the foreigners!

But most of all, I am most shocked that not a single person has
actually said “G’day mate” to me yet! Until that happens I’m
afraid Australia remains a mystery to me!

SCC TRENDSETTER
We’ve scoured the corridors for the two hottest trends that are making an reappearance this year:
1. The Return of the Braid

2. The Dress Length Alterations

You may have noticed that a strange event is occurring; the
braids we all wore when we were five are now back:

So once again this year, new ways of getting those dresses
up above the knee have arisen.
The first is the well known, tied around the waist jumper.
As well as shortening the length it also adds really attractive
bunching around the thighs and the puffing at the shoulders.

So this got me thinking, what else will be returning from
when we were five?
Heelys
You know those shoes that we all always
wanted-all the cool kids had them! I
mean what’s better then being able to
slide around on your heels?
Rolling down of the school socks
If you didn’t wear ankle socks, you had to go for the roll, or
risk losing your reputation!

Yes, very
attractive....

The other lesser known way is to tuck the dress inwards.
Be warned though, this is only for the hardcore dress
shorteners and you risk displaying innappropriate areas of
your body......

(or just type in ‘Seeker’ into the ‘To:’ section of
the email. Something should pop up)
The student/teacher/person/
people of the winning selfie
will have an ENTIRE article
dedicated to themselves or
topic of their choice in an
upcoming edition of
The Seeker.
Submit your entry before the 9th of May 2014
along with your name, PC and a caption. Have as
many or as little people in it as you like.